President Donald Trump now appears to be encouraging Americans to wear masks, a reversal of his previous position. Mask wearing is mandatory by both the Hawaii State and Hawaii County Emergency Proclamations to help protect against the spread of COVID-19. Anybody going into a business, restaurant, or other establishment is required to wear a mask.
“We are not defenseless against COVID-19,” CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield said in a July 14 press release. “Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus – particularly when used universally within a community setting. All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.”
President Trump sent out a tweet this morning showing himself wearing a mask, one of the few times he’s been photographed with a mask.
Scientists at University of California at San Francisco say the transmission of droplets from one’s mouth is stopped by wearing a cloth mask. As has often been stated, “I wear a mask to protect you, and you wear a mask to protect me.” Two researchers who are both M.D.s talked about two case studies that helped show the importance of masks. In one report, a man flew from China to Toronto, wearing a mask. He had a cough and tested positive for COVID-19. But all 25 people closest to him on the flight tested negative for COVID-19. They also referenced the case in late May (as noted by the CDC) where two hair stylists in Missouri had close contact with 140 clients. The hair stylists had COVID-19, but they and their clients wore masks, and none of the clients tested positive. Click here to find the entire article.
Hawaii County and Hawaii State currently have low case numbers compared to the rest of the country. Mayor Harry Kim and Governor David Ige, along with all the other county mayors, are united in urging people to wear masks, stay at least 6 feet apart from each other, and wash hands frequently to help continue to keep the spread of COVID-19 low.
From the CDC:
